Quinoa and Brussels Sprout Salad

There's no good reason to keep quinoa out of your diet!  It's actually a seed but has the same benefits of a whole grain food. Julie Wilcox's article, 7 Benefits of Quinoa: The Supergrain of the Future, lists quinoa's many health benefits, including: 1) it's high in fiber content, with almost twice as much fiber as most grains; 2) it's a complete protein, which means it has all nine essential amino acids; and 3) it's rich in manganese, an antioxidant.

Quinoa has a texture that's similar to couscous ~ light and fluffy so it works well as a base for many veggie recipes. This quinoa dish is flavored with a garlicky lemony dressing and includes a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little kick and toasted almonds for a little extra crunch. A light, healthy and delicious dish!

Tip: Cut the brussels sprouts thin to make this a really eloquent looking dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced almonds
• 1 lemon
• 1 bunch green onion, thinly sliced (slice dark green tops thicker)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces brussel sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan with pinch of salt. Bring to boil and reduce heat to a simmer; cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Transfer to medium size serving bowl. Set aside.
3. Place almond slices, single layer, on paper lined baking sheet. Toast in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Obtain about 1 teaspoon of zest from lemon and place in medium bowl. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of lemon from lemon and add to bowl; add green onion and red pepper flakes. Then whisk in olive oil.
5. Add thinly sliced brussel sprouts to quinoa mixture and toss until blended. 
6. Stir in olive oil mixture and toss until thoroughly blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Just before serving, add toasted almonds.

Whole Wheat Berry Delicious Muffins ❤️

This recipe was inspired by a recent blueberry muffin recipe found in Cooking Light (May 2016). I made it healthier by substituting coconut oil for canola oil, pure cane for granulated sugar and coconut palm sugar for brown sugar. This recipe makes 12 big muffins so if you prefer a smaller muffin, use 18 tins. They aren't overly sweet and bursting with blueberries ~ definitely best hot!

Ingredients: 

• 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 Tbsp white whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and divided
• 2 cups white whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2/3 cup pure cane sugar
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted and slightly cooled)
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
2. Topping: Combine oats, coconut palm sugar, 1 tablespoon white whole-wheat flour and cinnamon in small bowl; drizzle with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and stir with fork until combined. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, whisk together 2 cups white whole-wheat flour, baking power, baking soda and salt.
4. Place remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter, sour cream, pure cane sugar, melted coconut oil, egg and vanilla extract in medium bowl; mix until thoroughly blended. 
5. Add sour cream mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. Fold in blueberries. (Mixture will be thick.)
6. Divide batter into 12 muffin tins lined with paper cups and sprayed lightly with cooking spray.
7. Sprinkle muffins evenly with the topping.
8. Bake in preheated over for 5 minutes; reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake an additional 25 minutes, or until wooded toothpick comes out nearly clean. Cool at least 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. And enjoy every last crumb 😘 

Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread

This is a healthier version of a McCall's recipe that I first tried many years ago. White whole wheat flour is substituted  for all-purpose flour and it includes a little less butter (unsalted) and sugar. 

This bread is not overly sweet and has a really nice texture and hearty taste. It's delicious toasted with a dab of butter (with or without extra cinnamon and sugar ;o) Cut it extra thick, and it's perfect for french toast! 

If you're in the mood for some wholesome freshly-baked cinnamon swirl bread, give this recipe a try 😋 

  

Yield: 2 loaves 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup warm water (105-115F)
• 2 pkg active dry yeast
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 7 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat milk until bubbles form around edges; remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup sugar, salt and 1/2 cup butter, and raisins; stir until butter melts. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water and stir until dissolved. Stir in milk mixture.
3. Add eggs and 4 cups of flour; mix vigorously with wooden spoon until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour and mix until dough is stiff enough to leaves sides of pans.
4. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl turning once to grease top. Cover with towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
5. In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup of sugar and cinnamon.
6. Punch dough down and divide in half. Roll each half into a 16-in by 8-in rectangle. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the  cinnamon and sugar mixture over rectangle (reserve rest for later). Roll up tightly starting at narrow end; pinch seams to seal.
7. Place seam side down in greased 9-in by 5-in loaf pans. Brush tops lightly with melted butter (reserve rest for later). Cover with towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Brush tops with the remaining butter and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture.
8. Preheat oven to 375F. Bake in preheated oven on middle rack about for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped with knuckle. 
9. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. 

Pulled Pork

I've always loved pulled pork  ~ and it's so simple to make in the slow cooker. Cooking for a large group?  Serve it with Macaroni & Cheese and cole slaw ~ and it's a done deal! I hope you like my recipe with stewed tomatoes, smoked paprika, garlic and a little raw honey for a bit of sweetness.

Ingredients

• 5 pounds pork roast such as shoulder or butt, 
• 1-14 1/5 ounce can of no-salt stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried mustard (or 1 Tbsp prepared mustard)
• 1 medium onion, cut in quarters
• 4 peppercorns

Put 1 peppercorn in each onion quarter and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place pork on top, fat side up. 

In a medium bowl, whisk all other  ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Pour over pork. 

Cook roast on high setting for 2 hours; reduce to low and cook an additional 4-5 hours, or until very tender. (Or cook on low for 8-10 hours.) Transfer pork to tray and let cool, reserving liquid. 

When cooled enough to handle, remove all visible fat and gristle and shred pork to desired thinness. Transfer pork to serving dish. 

Pour reserved liquid through strainer and return about a cup of the liquid to pork (just enough to keep pork moist.)

Season with additional salt and pepper OR add BBQ sauce (see homemade recipe below).

Easy Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce adapted from Lisa Leake's recipe:

• 3/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 4 tsp dijon mustard
• 4 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Lower heat to simmer and cook for at least 20 minutes.

Whole Wheat Tortillas

Tortillas, unleavened flatbread, are mainly made with flour (or corn). However, it's hard to find store-brands that are 100% whole wheat and low in sodium. In fact, most of the ingredients included in many store-brand Tortillas are additives and preservatives such as cellulose gum, a thickening agent; propionic acid, a preservative and flavoring agent... and the list goes on and on.

They're actually not difficult to make... and you'll find that homemade Tortillas are not only healthier, but better tasting than store-brands. Lisa Leake has a great Tortillas recipe (with only 5 ingredients!) in her book, 100 Days of  Real Food. The recipe makes plenty so you can use them for tacos, quesadillas, burritos and Mexican (or any) pizza.  Although they'll only last several days in the refrigerator, they'll keep several months in the freezer. Enjoy!😘

Makes 14

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour (or white whole wheat flour), plus extra for rolling out dough
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 5 Tbsp. solid coconut oil, plus extra for cooking
• 1 cup warm water

Recipe

1. In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt; mix until combined.
2. Cut in the coconut oil with a pastry cutter or fork. Add warm water and continue using pastry cutter or fork until mostly combined; then use fingertips to thoroughly combine. If dough is too dry, add warm water, 1 teaspoon at a time; and if it is too sticky, add flour, 1 teaspoon at a time.
3. Transfer dough to a large cutting board and roll into a large log. Cut log into 14 equal pieces. Top dough pieces with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
4. Roll one piece of dough into a ball and then place it on a lightly-floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll ball into a circular tortilla about 8' in diameter. If you want them shaped uniformly, place an 8" bowl over dough and cut off outside edges. So you don't waste the excess dough and to ensure it's used with the next Tortilla, place the unused dough at the center of the next piece of dough. (Re-rolling the dough over and over will result in dough being too dry.) Place Tortilla back under plastic wrap. Continue with other dough pieces until all have been shaped into Tortillas.
5. Place a seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for several minutes. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil to skillet and lay Tortilla on top. Cook about 1 minute, or until bottom starts to brown and bubbles form; flip and cook an additional 1 minutes, or until browned. 
6. Serve warm or store in refrigerator for 3-4 days or place in freezer bag or container and freeze for several months.